10 Things You Might Not Know About Half Baked

There are lots of things we love and remember about Half Baked. That Dave Chappelle was an effortless comedy star, that you don’t need to be high to enjoy the movie (though it doesn’t hurt), and that Jim Breuer can’t look not stoned. But as you revisit this cult classic on IFC this month, here are a few facts you may not have known about one of the best stoner comedies of all time.

10. Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan Didn’t Talk About the Film Before Pitching It

Universal

Dave Chappelle called his friend Neal Brennan and said, “If Universal calls, tell them we’re working on a weed movie.” Great news, except Brennan and Chappelle had never talked about pitching anything. Apparently, Dave Chappelle wanted to write with Brennan and offhandedly pitched the idea of a weed movie and the studio loved it.

9. The Film Went from Pitch to Production Incredibly Fast

Universal

Just because a studio likes a pitch, there’s no guarantee that a script will be written, let alone the movie will actually get made. It can take years of development for a film to go into production. Not Half Baked, however. Chappelle and Brennan pitched the film in February, with zero script written, and they were on set by July.

8. The Writers Had Never Worked Together

Universal

Though the two were friends, Dave and Neal had never worked on anything together before Half Baked. Neal had offered some joke punch-ups to Chappelle’s stand up, but that was it. Later, they went on to create Chappelle’s Show, so it’s lucky Dave wanted to do a weed movie on a whim.

7. The Film Was a Commercial Flop

Universal

Though Half Baked is now a fan favorite, it opened in sixth place at the box office and was considered a failure. After the release, CNN proclaimed that Dave Chappelle’s career was over. Luckily, CNN is not known for its expertise in comedy and Dave Chappelle went on to star in one of the most beloved sketch shows of all time.

6. Neal Brennan Doesn’t Like the Movie

In multiple interviews, Neal Brennan is grateful for the fan love, but doesn’t really care for the movie himself. Once Half Baked got into production, people stopped listening to Brennan and Chappelle’s ideas, resulting in a film that was not what they pictured. Neal said it now looks like a “weed movie for kids,” when they wanted it to be a weed version of Larry Clark’s Kids.

5. Jim Breuer and Dave Chappelle first appeared together on an episode of Home Improvement

ABC

Half Baked was not the first time Chappelle and Breuer worked together. In 1995, the duo appeared as bumbling buddies asking Tim “The Toolman” Taylor for love advice on an episode of the hit sitcom Home Improvement. This led to ABC giving Chappelle and Breuer their own sitcom, the short-lived series Buddies. Unfortunately, Breuer was replaced by actor Christopher Gartin before the show premiered. The series tanked, and when Chappelle needed someone to play the perpetually high Brian, he needed to look no further than his old friend.

4. Jim Breuer was Not High During Filming, Except One Time

Jim Breuer was a professional on the set of Half Baked, but one day he was dismissed from filming and decided to get high in his trailer after a hard day’s work. Suddenly, a PA knocks on his door and says he has to go back to set to shoot one more scene. Clarence Williams III (Samson Simpson) said he was quitting the movie unless they finished all his scenes that day. So, Jim dragged himself to set to say, “Sucks to be you, man.” Apparently, it took many takes.

3. Samson Simpson is a Tony Nominated Actor

Though he might not have loved his time playing Samson Simpson, Clarence Williams III is a legendary actor. Best known for playing Linc Hayes on The Mod Squad, he also worked extensively on Broadway. He once starred onstage with Maggie Smith and was nominated for a Tony Award for Slow Dance on the Killing Ground.

2. Some of the Cast Has Turned Against Weed

Stephen Baldwin has a cameo as “MacGayver Smoker,” but in the years since the film premiered the actor has become an evangelical Christian and is now violently opposed to weed use. Luckily Snoop Dogg’s cameo in the film has only enhanced his delight for the sticky icky.

1. Half Baked is the Director’s Follow Up to “MMMBop”

Mercury

Tamra Davis directed many music videos and Adam Sandler’s first big hit, Billy Madison. But right before Half Baked, she was the visionary behind the music video of Hansen’s “MMMBop.” To go from the flaxen haired child group to Dave Chappelle’s ode to drugs takes a lot of range.

Videos

Make The Holidays ’80s Again

Enjoy the holiday cheer Wednesday December 21 at 10P on IFC.

Posted by Ben Cochran on November 30thPhoto Credit: Everett Collection

Whatever happened to the kind of crazy-yet-cozy holiday specials that blanketed the early winter airwaves of the 1980s? Unceremoniously killed by infectious ’90s jadedness? Slow fade out at the hands of early-onset millennial ennui? Whatever the reason, nixing the tradition was a huge mistake.

A huge mistake that we’re about to fix.

Announcing IFC’s Joe’s Pub Presents: A Holiday Special, starring Tony Hale. It’s a celeb-studded extravaganza in the glorious tradition of yesteryear featuring Bridget Everett, Jo Firestone, Nick Thune, Jen Kirkman, house band The Dap-Kings, and many more. And it’s at Joe’s Pub, everyone’s favorite home away from home in the Big Apple.

The yuletide cheer explodes Wednesday December 21 at 10P. But if you were born after 1989 and have no idea what void this spectacular special is going to fill, sample from this vintage selection of holiday hits:

Andy Williams and The NBC Kids Search For Santa

The quintessential holiday special. Get snuggly and turn off your brain. You won’t need it.

A Muppet Family Christmas

The Fraggles. The Muppets. The Sesame Street gang. Fate. The Jim Henson multiverse merges in this warm and fuzzy Holiday gathering.

Julie Andrews: The Sound Of Christmas

To this day a foolproof antidote to holiday cynicism. It’s cheesy, but a good cheese. In this case an Alpine Gruyère.

Star Wars Holiday Special

Okay, busted. This one was released in 1978. Still totally ’80s though. And yes that’s Bea Arthur.

Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special

Pass the eggnog, and make sure it’s loaded. This special is everything you’d expect it to be and much, much more.

Joe’s Pub Presents: A Holiday Special premieres Wednesday December 21 at 10P on IFC.

A Guide to Coping with the End of Comedy Bang! Bang!

After five seasons and 110 halved-hour episodes, Scott Aukerman’s hipster comedy opus, Comedy Bang! Bang!, has come to an end. Fridays at 11 and 11:30P will never be the same. We know it can be hard for fans to adjust after the series finale of their favorite TV show. That’s why we’ve prepared this step-by-step guide to managing your grief.

Step One: Cry it out

It’s just natural. We’re sad too.

Step Two: Read the CB!B! IMDB Trivia Page

The show is over and it feels like you’ve lost a friend. But how well did you really know this friend? Head over to Comedy Bang! Bang!’s IMDB page to find out some things you may not have known…like that it’s “based on a Civil War battle of the same name” or that “Reggie Watts was actually born with the name Theodore Leopold The Third.”

Step Three: Listen to the podcast

One fascinating piece of CB!B! trivia that you might not learn from IMDB is that there’s a podcast that shares the same name as the TV show. It’s even hosted by Scott Aukerman! It’s not exactly like watching the TV show on a Friday night, but that’s only because each episode is released Monday morning. If you close your eyes, the podcast is just like watching the show with your eyes closed!

Step Four: Watch brand new CB!B! clips?!

The best way to cope with the end of Comedy Bang! Bang! is to completely ignore that it’s over — because it’s not. In an unprecedented move, IFC is opening up the bonus CB!B! content vault. There are four brand new, never-before-seen sketches featuring Scott Aukerman, Kid Cudi, and “Weird Al” Yankovic ready for you to view on the IFC App. There’s also one right here, below this paragraph! Watch all four b-b-bonus clips and feel better.

Binge the entire final season, plus exclusive sketches, right now on the IFC app.

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The Four-Day Sweatsgiving Weekend On IFC

This long holiday weekend is your time to gobble gobble gobble and give heartfelt thanks—thanks for the comfort and forgiveness of sweatpants. Because when it comes right down to it, there’s nothing more wholesome and American than stuffing yourself stupid and spending endless hours in front of the TV in your softest of softests.

So get the sweats, grab the remote and join IFC for four perfect days of entertainment.

It all starts with a 24-hour T-day marathon of Rocky Horror Picture Show, then continues Friday with an all-day binge of Stan Against Evil.

By Saturday, the couch will have molded to your shape. Which is good, because you’ll be nestled in for back-to-back Die Hard and Lethal Weapon.

Finally, come Sunday it’s time to put the sweat back in your sweatpants with The Shining, The Exorcist, The Chronicles of Riddick, Terminator 2, and Blade: Trinity. They totally count as cardio.

As if you need more convincing, here’s Martha Wash and the IFC&C Music Factory to hammer the point home.